Tube flaring tool



aw 3h 1955 ca. E. FRANCK J 9 TUBE FLARING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed June 8, 1951 IN V EN TOR. lzfi'wzck,

a. E. FRANCIK 2,709,474

TUBE FLARING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TUBE FLARHQG TOUL George E. Franck,Riverside, iliL, assignor to The Imperial Brass Manufacturing Company, acorporation of Illinois Application June 8, 1951, Serial No. 238,533

7 Claims. (Cl. 153-79) This invention relates to a tool and moreparticularly to a flaring tool for flaring the end of tubes and thelike.

It is the general object of this invention to produce a new and improvedflaring tool construction.

It is a more specific object of this invention to produce a flaring toolprovided with means for accurately predetermining the amount of flare tobe impressed upon the end of a tube.

Another object of the invention is to produce a flaring tool providedwith means for accurately prepositioning the flaring device of the toolrelative to the end of a tube to be flared in order that a predetermineddesired degree of flare may be impressed upon the end of the tube at thecompletion of the flaring operation.

A further object of the invention is to produce a flaring tool of thetype described in the preceding paragraphs which is provided withgauging means movable to a first position forming a stop for limitingthe extent of movement of the flaring device so that a tube to be flaredmay be positioned against the flaring device when so advanced, whichgauging means is movable to an inoperative position permitting furtheradvancement of the cone, thereby producing on the end of the tube aflare of the desired extent.

A more specific object of the invention is to produce a flaring tool inthe form of a yoke-like body member which is provided with a threadedopening at its apex and with a tube flaring cone secured to a rodrotatably mounted in the opening and to provide the body member with agauge movably secured thereto, the gauge being movable intointerposition between a stop portion on the rod and the yoke to limitthe advancement of the cone and being movable to an inoperativeposition, that is to a position in which it does not interfere withfurther advancement of the cone to produce the desired degree of flareon the end of a tube.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent fromthe following description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention ofthis application;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along line 22of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the upper portion ofthe device shown in Fig. 1 and taken along line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section along line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 2 of a modified construction.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principlesof the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to theembodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig.

2,7ii9,47 i Patented May 31, 1955 ice l a body member in the form of ayoke 10 having a pair of parallel arms 11 and 12 and a base portion 13joining the arms. Each of the arms Ill and 12 is provided with a milledportion 14 adapted to receive a tube clamping device 15 for holding atube 15a therein, it being understood that various forms of tubeclamping means may be used. The base portion 13 of the yoke is providedwith an integral substantially circular boss-like portion 16 which isprovided with a cylindrical opening 17. Press fitted in the opening 17is an internally threaded, externally serrated sleeve member 13, thethreads thereof engaging external threads provided on a hollow shaft 19.The sleeve 18 and the shaft 19 are of steel whereas the yoke 10 may beof aluminum or some other lightweight metal.

Rotatably supported in the hollow shaft 19 is a cylindrical solid shaft20 which carries a flaring device 21 on its lower end and which isformed at its upper end into a substantially square terminal portion 22having an internally threaded opening 23 therein. Secured to the portion22, as by the screw 24, is a head portion 25 having a squared upper bodyportion 26 and an integral knurled collar 27. The shaping of the portion26 is such as to permit the use of a force-multiplying device, forexample a wrench or similar tool, to rotate the shaft 20. The flaringdevice 21 comprises a cone 21a, here: shown integral with shaft 20,formed with tapered recesses 21b opening through the sides of the coneand each holding a tapered roller 38. Retaining the rollers 38 in thecone 21a is a steel collar 28 having a flared skirt portion 28a. Thecollar has openings 29 adapted to be aligned with an opening 30extending through the shaft 20 and to receive a pin 31 to hold thecollar in fixed position on the shaft with its skirt 28a overlying andcontacting the large end of the roller 38. interposed between the collar28 and the hollow shaft 19 is a washer 32 of bronze so as to obtain thefriction reducing effect of a dissimilar metal between the steel collar28 and hollow shaft 19.

From the foregoing it will be clear that rotation of the hollow shaft 19serves to move the cone toward and away from a tube 15a held in theclamping device 15. Inasmuch as the cylindrical shaft 20 to which therotational force is applied is freely rotatable within the hollow shaft19, means must be provided for transmitting rotation of the shaft 20 tothe hollow shaft 19 in order that the cone may be advanced. To this enda lost motion connection is provided between the two shafts, theconnection being described and claimed in my copending application,Serial No. 206,993, filed January 20, 1951.

Secured to the knurled collar portion 27 of the head 25 is a pin 35which extends downwardly therefrom toward the top of a stop member inthe form of a collar 36 integrally secured to the shaft 19. The stopmember 36 is provided with a substantially rectangular lug 37 located inthe path described by the pin 35 as the head portion 25 is rotated.Thus, it is impossible to rotate the shaft 2t through a full revolutionwithout bringing the pin 35 into contact with the lug 37 to rotate theshaft 19 with the shaft 20.

As more fully described in my said copending application, the purpose ofthe lost motion connection is to insure that the proper burnishingaction is given the flared end of a tube before it is withdrawn from thetube flaring apparatus. Clearly, as the shafts t9 and 2t) are rotated,the cone is advanced against the end of the tube, although the contactbetween the cone and tube is at three spaced points provided by therollers 33. if, upon completing the flare, the cone were immediately tobe withdrawn, each of the rollers would leave a slight indentation inthe end of the tube, the indentation being the farthest point of advanceof the cone. With the construction disclosed, however, when the desireddegree of flare has been achieved, the cone is withdrawn by rotating thehead portion 2-5 in the opposite direction. Because of the lost motionconnection no retraction of the cone occurs with initial rotation of theshaft 2ft. Thus, the end of the tube is burnished, that is smoothed offbecause the rollers 38 are rotated against all portions of the flaredend before the pin 35 again makes contact with the lug 37. When contactagain occurs, continued rotation of the shaft 20 serves to withdraw thecone from the end of the tube.

For proper burnishing it is essential that there be no reverse rotationof the hollow shaft 19, i. e. feed out of the cone, until the cone hasrotated through at least 130 and preferably through just short of 360.To that end, it is important that the frictional force between the shaft19 and the shaft 28 be less than the frictional force between the shaft19 and the threaded sleeve 18. With the provision of thefriction-reducing bronze washer 32 and the inherently greater frictionproduced by the threaded engagement between the shaft 19 and the sleeve18, there is a normal tendency for the hollow shaft 1) not to rotateuntil the pin 35 and the lug 37 make contact. However,

to make certain that there will be no premature rotation of the shaft19, the sleeve 13 is undercut for a short distance at 33 so as toreceive the un'threaded portion 34 of the shaft 19 so that the shaft maybe turned into the sleeve so far that the flange 36 is brought tighthome against the end of the sleeve 318. in this way the shaft 19 isactually locked at the end of its inward feed and precludes allpossibility that the friction between it and the shaft 2% would cause itto rotate in a reverse or withdrawing direction.

It is essential, in order to produce a proper coupling, that the correctdegree or amount of flare be produced upon the end of the tube. It hasbeen customary in some tools to provide a gauge of some sort, suitablyinscribed with figures, designating the amount of flare to be producedon the end of tubes of varying diameters, but it has been found that thebenefit derived from the use of such gauges is limited due to the factthat they are not simple to use and require considerable estimate on thepart of the user inasmuch as the gauges obviously must be spacedsomewhat from the location of the tube and the flaring cone.Accordingly, there has been produced in the present invention adifferent type of gauging means which is simple and positive inoperation and yet will produce precisely the desired degree of flare onthe end of tubes of varying diameters.

The gauge device of this invention is designed to give the workman afeel indication of the proper initial setting and also of the end of theproper flaring operation rather than a sight indication. Moreover, thetool is so designed that this feel indication is not one that requires asensitive touch but actually limits movement, more particularly rotationof a portion of the mechanism. Somewhat more particularly, the gaugedevice initially limits inward feed of the cone and associated parts,thereby so positioning the cone that it may be employed as a means forgauging the position of the tube to be flared. Once the tube has beenpositioned and clamped, the gauge is simply moved out of its obstructingposition to an unobstructing position, whereupon the tool may be furtheroperated to advance the cone for the purpose of flaring the tube. Theflare is completed and, moreover, is of proper size when further advanceof the cone is again prohibited. Thus, as above mentioned, all gaugingis a fee? proposition and, moreover, is so definite that there is nodanger that the user of the tool could misuse the tool even if he werecareless or did not have a sensitive touch.

The gauge device includes a gauging element serving to obstruct inwardfeed of the cone and, to that end, is herein designed to be interposedbetween a stationary portion of the tool and a part moving relativethereto as an. incident to the feeding-in movement of the cone. Thispart is the hollow shaft 19 and the gauge is interposed between theflange 36 on this shaft and the end of the sleeve 18, thus positivelydetermining the position of the cone for gang:

ing purposes. With the cone so positioned, a tube may be inserted in thetube clamping means, its end pressed firmly against the cone, and beclamped when so positioned. At this point, the cone may be backed oifslightly to permit the gauging element to be withdrawn from itsinterposition so that the cone may be advanced by rotation of the shaftto its fullest extent, that is until the collar 36 contacts the end ofsleeve 18. When full advancement of the cone has been achieved, theproper degree of flare has been impressed upon the end of the tube.

in the specific embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, thegauging device includes a yoke-like carrying member 40 pivotally securedat its apex 41 to the body member by means of a screw device 42. Theyoke includes a pair of arms 43 and 44 each of which carries at itsouter end a gauging element 45 and 46, respectively. it will be notedthat the straight line distance between the gauging elements 45 and 46is greater than the diameter of the collar 36 so that the gaugingelements may be moved to a position in which they are not interposedbetween the collar 36 and a flattened top portion 47 of the boss lid orthe end of sleeve 13 which is flush therewith. With the gauging elementsin the non-interfering position, the head portion 25 may be rotateduntil. the collar 36 contacts the flat portion 47.

The thicknesses of the gauging elements 45 and 46 can be proportioned inaccordance with the requirements of the particular application. As aspecific example, certain requirements for a flare on a inch tube and 21A inch tube specify a diameter of the widest part of the flare .109 inchgreater than the diameter of the tube. Thus, a proper flare on a A inchtube would have a diameter of .359 inch while the flare on a y inch tubehas a diameter of .421 inch. To produce the proper flare on, for examplea inch tube, the gauging element 46 is moved to the position shown inFig. 2, the head portion is rotated to bring the collar 36 into abuttingrelationship against the top of the gauging element, that is untilfurther rotation of the head 25 is prevented. At this point a tube 15::is inserted into the tube clamping means, pressed firmly against thecone 21 and clamped in that position. The head portion 25 may then bebacked off slightly to relieve the pressure against the gauging elementand then the yoke 41 may be pivoted slightly about its axis to move thegauge element 46 out of the path of movement of the collar. If the headportion 25 be again rotated until the collar 36 is brought into contactwith the flattened portion 47, the precise predetermined flare will havebeen produced on the end of the tube.

If the tube to be flared is of larger diameter, for example, the inchtube mentioned, but if the flare is still to have a diameter which isthe same fixed amount larger than the diameter of the tube, for examplethe .109 inch mentioned above, the same gauge is employed. The reasonfor this is that the same advance of the flaring cone will produce thesame difference in flare diameter over tube diameter for any size tubeWhere the tube is initially positioned against the cone and not givensome fixed projection above the tube clamping means. For a differentincrement of flare diameter relative to the tube diameter the gaugeelement might be employed or in extreme cases the cone mightbe backedall the way oif until the skirt 28a abuts the inner end of the sleeve18.

The slight modification shown in Fig. 5 is, in all important respects,similar to the device of Fig. 2 with the exception that shafts 19 and 20are integral, thus proin a n e h f 19- W h a ngl shaft n tes motionconnection is included. As most other parts of the device of Fig. 5 aresimilar to those previously described with reference to Fig. 2, similarparts have been given similar, but primed, reference numerals and nofurther detailed description is believed necessary.

arena-re I claim:

1. A tube ilaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, tube flaring cone, a shaft carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in said threaded portion, a stop element secured to the shaft,means for rotating the shaft to advance said stop element and the conein an axial direction, and a gauge member movably mounted on the bodymember and carrying a plurality of gauging elements, said gauge memberbeing movable from a first position in which a selected gauging elementis interposed between the stop element and the body member to preventadvancement of the cone beyond a predetermined point, to a secondposition in which said gauging elements are prsitioned out of the pathof movement of the stop element to permit advancement of the cone beyondsaid point.

2. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, a tube flaring cone, a shaft carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in said threa ed portion, a collar secured to the shaft, meansfor rotating the shaft to advance the cone, a substantially U-shapedgauge member pivotally mounted at its apex on the body member, and agauging element on the end of each arm of the U-shaped member, saidgauge member being pivotable from a gauging position in which either ofsaid gauging elements are interposed between the collar and the bodymember to limit the advancement of the cone, to an inoperative positionin which neither of said elements is interposed between the collar andbody member.

3. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, a tube flaring cone, a member carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in said thread ed portion, a stop element on the member, meansfor rotating the member to advance the cone, and a gauge movably carriedby the body member and movable into interposition between the stopelement and the body member to limit the advancement of the cone.

4. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having an internallythreaded opening, a tube flaring cone, a shaft carrying the cone androtatably supported in said threaded opening, means for rotating theshaft to advance the cone to a gauging position, means carried by thebody member and movable to a first position preventing advancement ofthe cone beyond said gauging position and said movable means beingmovable to a second position permitting advancement of the cone beyondsaid gauging position With the shaft thereupon being rotatable toadvance the cone to a finished flaring position, and means on said bodymember for preventing advancement of the cone beyond said finishedflaring position whereby a predetermined flare may be impressed on theend of a tube Without visual reference to the tool.

5. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, a hollow shaft having external threads engaging the threads insaid portion, a tube flaring cone, a rod carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in the hollow of said shaft, means for rotating the rod, meansproviding a driving connection between the rod and the shaft to rotatethe shaft with rotation of the rod, a collar secured to the shaft, asubstantially U-shaped gauge member pivotally mounted at its apex on thebody member, and a gauging element on the end of each arm of theU-shaped member, said gauge member being pivotable from a gaugingposition in which either of said gauging elements is interposed betweenthe collar and the body member to limit the advancement of the cone, toan inoperative position in which neither of said elements is interposedbetween the collar and body member.

6. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, a hollow shaft having external threads engaging the threads insaid portion, a tube flaring cone, a rod carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in the hollow of said shaft, means for rotating the rod, meansproviding a driving connection between the rod and the shaft to rotatethe shaft with rotation of the rod, a collar secured to the shaft, agauge member movably mounted on the body member and carrying a gaugingelement, said gauge member being movable from a gauging position inwhich said gauging element is interposed between the collar and the bodyportion to limit the advancement of the cone, to an inoperative positionin which said element is out of interposition between the collar and thebody member.

7. A tube flaring tool comprising a body member having a threadedportion, a hollow shaft having external threads engaging the threads insaid portion, a tube flaring cone, a rod carrying the cone and rotatablysupported in the hollow of the shaft, a stop element secured to theshaft, means for rotating the rod, means providing a driving connectionbetween the rod and the shaft to rotate the shaft with rotation of therod to advance said stop element and the cone in an axial direction, anda gauge member movably mounted on the body member and carrying aplurality of gauging elements, said gauge member being movable from afirst position in which a selected gauging element is interposed betweenthe stop element and the body member to prevent advancement of the conebeyond a predetermined point, to a second position in which said gaugingelements are positioned out of the path of movement of the stop elementrelative to the body member to permit advancement of the cone beyondsaid point.

References (fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS350,701 Schoendelen Oct. 12, 1886 625,707 Shimer May 23, 1899 1,213,134Fellows Jan. 16, 1917 1,383,839 Mueller July 5, 1921 1,491,100 Hoke Apr.22, 1924 1,752,508 Schultis Apr. 1, 1930 1,795,358 Arndt Mar. 10, 19312,242,131 Johnson May 13, 1941 2,277,410 Neukirch Mar. 24, 19422,492,380 Duma Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 570,093 Great Britain June21, 1945

